Paris Métro (2018)

How to use the RATP's Métropolitain de
Paris, from buying tickets to riding trains.

By Durant Imboden

Walking
is the most scenic way to explore Paris. But for longer journeys, the Métropolitain
de Paris
is the preferred mode of transportation. With 14 lines, 380 stations, and more
than 211 km or 131 miles of track, the Paris underground is Europe's
second-largest subway system--and that's without including the
RER, a
commuter-rail network that is integrated with the Métro.

ABOVE: A Métro
rider eyes an arriving train. INSET: Art Nouveau
entrance to the Abbesses station in Montmartre.

Although the Paris Métro is one of
the oldest subways in the world (it opened in 1900), it compares favorably with
newer counterparts in other cities. Cars are modern and clean, there's little
waiting time between trains, crime is minimal except for pickpockets, and you
won't find a quicker way to get around Paris.

For more information on fares, tickets, and riding the trains,
go to page 2 or use the "In this article"
links below.